Fire And Ice
by Kenna Monster
Summary: Isaac had a lot to make up for, but maybe he could start with saving Erica.
1. Chapter 1

It was cold. He knew he should be freezing, the ice water should be burning his skin, but it was like everything else had faded away. The only thing he noticed was Dr. Deaton's voice.

"Isaac, I want you to tell me about the night you found Eirca and Boyd," Dr. Deaton asked.

"No, I...I don't want to do that, I don't want to do that," Isaac replied, fighting against the hands holding him down. The memories swirling in his head scared him. He didn't want to remember what had happened that night.

"Relax, relax, they're just memories. You can't be hurt by memories," Dr. Deaton said, and slowly Isaac relaxed.

"Alright, I want you to tell me about when you found Erica and Boyd," Deaton repeated. Isaac tried. He allowed the memories to come flooding back, remembering climbing marble stairs leading up to a dusty vault, hearing voices talking about the moon and control, getting thrown to the floor by one of the alphas. Being tossed into a cage where Erica's body lay in a pool of blood.

Suddenly there was another voice shouting at him. He tried to escape, to break free from the memories and return to the clinic, but everything was wrong. He could feel the cold of the ice water, could hear Derek shouting at him, could feel Scott and Derek's hands on his shoulders, but he couldn't stop the memories now that they had started.

Erica was dead. Isaac tried to breathe but his chest was tight. He tried to move but his body had locked up. Even Derek's shouts were fading away. Isaac felt himself slipping, felt his body start to shut down, and he cried out, trying to fight against it. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was Erica, her eyes open and staring blankly at him.

"Get him out!" Dr. Deaton yelled. Scott and Derek hoisted Isaac's limp body out of the water, easing him down onto the floor. Deaton hurried to him, covering him with a blanket.

"What happened?" Stiles asked.

"He's in shock. We need to get him warmed up before his core temp drops any lower," Deaton said. Derek and Scott grabbed more towels, wrapping them around Isaac.

"We should take him to the hospital, my mom can help," Scott suggested. Derek nodded, gently scooping Isaac up in his arms and heading for the door.

"Call me if his condition changes," Deaton said as Scott and Stiles hurried after Derek.

* * *

"How long was he in the water?" Scott's mom asked as she tucked blankets around Isaac.

"A few minutes at most," Scott replied. "Deaton thought he could help unlock some of Isaac's memories."

"Obviously something went wrong," Scott's mom replied, checking Isaac's temperature and IV. "Warming him up will take a while, if we go too fast it could make it worse."

"But you can help him, right?" Derek asked. She nodded.

"Hopefully his own healing will kick in soon and he'll wake up, until then we just wait," she replied.

Stiles flopped in a chair. "Am I the only one not freaking out about what he said?"

Scott looked at Stiles then Derek. "Maybe we should talk about this later," he suggested.

"What happened? Did he remember where Erica and Boyd are?" Scott's mom asked.

Derek crossed his arms over his chest, watching Isaac. "Right before he passed out he said something about Erica."

"Not just something," Stiles argued. "He said she's dead."

"We don't know that for sure. Everything was really jumbled and confusing for him," Derek said.

"Well I hope he was wrong," Scott's mom said, pushing the hair back from Isaac's forehead. "Call me when he wakes up."

Once she left the room Stiles started pacing. "We know the building is old, probably abandoned and has cages and a vault in it. Sound familiar to anyone?"

"Yah!" Scott exclaimed, thinking fast. "The Beacon Hills First Bank, it's been closed for a few years. It's made of marble or something and definitely old."

"You two go check it out, I'll stay here with him," Derek said.

"How about you two stay, I'll go get the blueprints from the library," Stiles said.

"Do you even know where the library is?" Derek asked.

"You'd be surprised at what I know," Stiles said before leaving the room.

Scott smiled, his grin fading as he watched Derek stare hard at Isaac, concern written all over his face.

"He'll be okay. He's been through worse than this, right?" Scott said.

"I promised him that this life would be better than his old one. No old man beating him up, no longer being afraid, and what do I do? I put him back in a metal tub, I hold him down, and I terrify him. It wasn't the freezer, but it was close," Derek said, still not taking his eyes off Isaac.

"You didn't know this would happen," Scott argued. "None of us did, not even Dr. Deaton. It was a risk Isaac was willing to take."

"What if Stiles is right, what if Erica really is dead?" Derek asked, looking at Scott. "I can't lose my pack."

"There's still Isaac, and we'll find Boyd. And you have me and Stiles. It'll be okay," Scott said, shocked that he was having to encourage Derek who was usually so sure of himself.


	2. Chapter 2

"Erica!" Isaac shouted, sitting bolt upright and looking around in panic. He had to find her, had to make sure...

"Isaac, calm down, you're okay," Derek said, hurrying to his side. Isaac stared up at him with wild eyes.

"She can't be dead," he said, needing to find her, needing to save her.

"I know, we'll find her," Derek said, placing a hand on Isaac's shoulder to stop him from climbing out of bed. He could feel the heat radiating from the teen, unnaturally high.

"I have to save her," Isaac argued. He pulled the IV line out of his arm and threw the blankets off, struggling against Derek.

"We need to get him out of here," Derek said, looking at Scott.

"Should I check with my mom?" Scott asked.

"No just help me," Derek replied. Together they managed to get Isaac to his feet. He staggered, and Derek quickly wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him up.

"What are you doing?" Scott's mom demanded when she caught them walking down the hall.

"I need to take him home," Derek replied. "He's not healing. I can try to trigger the healing process, but thought that might raise some questions if I broke his arm."

She stared at Derek for a moment, trying to decide if he was telling the truth or not. Finally she sighed. "Call me the second he gets any worse."

"Thanks mom," Scott said as he helped Derek get Isaac to the elevator.

By the time they got Isaac to Derek's loft he was barely conscious. Together Derek and Scott were able to get him to the couch.

Derek crouched down, grabbing Isaac's left arm. "Hold him down," he said to Scott, who braced himself against Isaac's shoulders. Quickly snapping the bone, Derek fought against Isaac as he weakly tried to push him away.

"Why isn't he healing?" Scott asked, watching nervously as Isaac's arm remained broken.

"I don't know," Derek replied. He stood up, grabbing a nearby blanket and covering Isaac, who had passed out again.

"What do we do?" Scott asked.

Derek rubbed his hands over his face, thinking hard. They couldn't take him back to the hospital. "Call Deaton, tell him to hurry," he said.

* * *

"How long has he been unconscious?" Deaton asked as he checked Isaac's vitals. He didn't like the raspy breathing, the fever, or the fact that Isaac wasn't healing.

"About ten minutes," Derek replied, standing nearby with his arms crossed over his chest. He watched anxiously as Deaton checked Isaac's pulse.

"His body is in shock, and because of that his whole system is fighting itself," Deaton explained, looking at Scott and Derek.

"Like a virus?" Scott asked.

"Sort of," Deaton replied. "It's like he has an infection, but his body is too worn out to fight it off. If we can jump start the healing process, he should be okay."

"How do we do that?" Derek asked.

"With some wolfsbane," Peter replied, walking into the room with a handful of wolfsbane flowers in his hand.

Scott looked from Peter to Derek, confused. "I thought wolfsbane could kill us," he said.

"It can," Peter replied nonchalantly. "Good thing I know what I'm doing."

"Why should we trust you?" Scott asked.

"I used wolfsbane to counteract the Argent bullet. Even though I hate to admit it Peter's right. This is the only thing we have that can help Isaac," Derek said.

"I think I'll leave this to you," Deaton said to Scott and Derek.

"Not so fast doc," Peter said. "You might need to stay around for a little longer. Although effective, wolfsbane triggers different reactions in different people. We might need your help."

Deaton nodded. Peter approached the couch, checking Isaac's arm which was still broken. "Got any painkillers?" he asked, looking at the doctor.

"Just ibuprofen," Deaton replied.

"The kid's gonna be in pain when he wakes up," Peter said. He looked at Scott and Derek. "Be ready to hold him down."

Peter extended his claws, cutting Isaac's broken arm. He then crushed the flowers in his fist and placed them on the wound, holding Isaac's arm tightly to keep the flowers in place.

"Be ready," he said to Scott and Derek, who positioned themselves to hold down Isaac's shoulders and legs.

He woke up quickly, one moment unconscious, the next gold eyes snapping open and body bucking to escape the pain.

"Isaac, listen to me!" Derek shouted, trying to get his beta's attention. Isaac writhed, whimpering as he tried to fight off the hands holding him down.

"How much longer?" Derek asked, looking at Peter.

"I'm not sure," Peter replied, still holding Isaac's arm. "There isn't an instruction book."

Isaac growled, eyes scrunching closed in pain. "Should we give him something?" Scott asked.

"Isaac, Deaton has some ibuprofen for you," Derek said, leaning over the back of the couch to look at Isaac. The younger teen slowly opened his eyes, blinking up at him. "Do you want some?"

Isaac nodded, eyes swimming with tears. Deaton grabbed a glass of water and shook out four pills into his hand, giving them to Derek.

"He'll need more than that," Derek said. Deaton handed over the bottle, watching in silence as Derek gave Isaac ten pills then helped him drink some water. It took a while for the pills to take effect, but slowly Isaac relaxed, sinking into the couch.

"Isaac?" Derek asked, not liking how listless the teen had become.

"Just give him a minute," Peter replied, lifting his hand to inspect the wound. It was healing, along with Isaac's arm. "The wolfsbane is working."

Derek sighed. "Now what?"

"We wait," Peter replied.


	3. Chapter 3

Isaac slowly woke up, his mind jumbled. He remembered vague moments; climbing into the ice bath at Deaton's office, waking up at the hospital, Derek and Scott holding him down while his arm burned.

Opening his eyes, he was momentarily disoriented when he saw that he was on the couch in the flat. He glanced at his arm, shocked to see a white bandage covering his forearm. There was a dull ache there, and his chest felt strange but Isaac stubbornly sat up, looking around.

He heard voices coming from the kitchen. Throwing off the blankets, he stood up, gripping the couch for support. His body ached but the desire to find out what was going on drove him forward.

"How much longer do you think Derek's going to be?" Stiles asked.

"It might take a while for him to get Boyd to calm down," Scott replied. Isaac froze. They were talking about Boyd. If he was free from the alphas, then so was Erica.

Shoving open the kitchen door, Isaac demanded, "Where is she?"

Scott, Alison, Lydia and Stiles were sitting at the kitchen table. Normally seeing Alison and Lydia in Derek's apartment would confuse him, but all he cared about was Erica.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Scott asked, standing up.

"Where is she?" Isaac repeated. He didn't like the way they looked anywhere but at him, as if they were hiding something.

"We were able to get Boyd out of the bank," Stiles said, breaking the silence. "Derek's with him now."

"And Erica?" Isaac asked.

"I'm so sorry," Alison apologized. Isaac nodded, his mind numb.

"How?" He asked.

"I found her," Alison replied, her eyes filling with tears. "Derek buried her in the woods."

Isaac turned, leaving the room. He had to get away, had to escape their pity.

* * *

"Anything?" Derek asked as Scott walked into the apartment.

"Lost his scent after a few blocks. He doesn't want us finding him," Scott replied. Derek sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

"Boyd's still in really rough shape, I don't think I can leave him alone right now," Derek said.

"Stiles and I can keep looking for Isaac," Scott suggested. Derek nodded, lost in his thoughts.

* * *

Lydia was exhausted. Her weekend had not gone the way she wanted; rather than enjoying a relaxing saturday night home alone, she got dragged into the latest werewolf dram a which involved a dead body. She'd had enough death to last her a lifetime. Though she did feel bad for Isaac, who last she heard was taking Erica's death pretty hard.

There was a sudden tap on her window and she whirled around, shocked to see Isaac crouched outside.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded when she opened the window.

"I...I don't know," Isaac replied, looking lost.

Lydia huffed. "Why don't you just go back to Derek's?" she suggested.

"I can't be there right now," he replied.

She stared at him, seeing how broken up and hurt he really was. "Fine," she relented, stepping aside so he could climb into her room. "But if you shed I will kill you."

A ghost of a smile graced his lips. He looked around. "Nice room."

"Please tell me we're not going to make awkward small talk about my interior design," she said, crossing her arms.

Isaac walked around, looking at all the different posters hanging on the walls. He stopped in front of one with the Hollywood sign on it.

"She always wanted to go there," he said quietly.

"Erica?" Lydia asked.

"It was on her bucket list. She was going to take Boyd, the night they tried to leave town. The night the alphas caught them." Isaac turned and looked at Lydia. "Do you know she's never been outside of Beacon Hills?"

Lydia was at a loss. She had no great words of comfort, nothing that could help take away his pain.

"I just...I just can't go back to the loft right now," Isaac said. "All I can smell there is her."

Without hesitation Lydia covered the space between them and hugged Isaac. At first he was too surprised, then he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back fiercely.

"You can stay here tonight," Lydia whispered. Isaac buried his head on her shoulder, fighting to hold back the tears.

"She's gone," he cried.

"I know, I know," Lydia whispered, rubbing soothing circles on his back. She had no great words of encouragement, but she had something better-her friendship. Maybe it was exactly what they both needed.

* * *

"Where would he go?" Stiles asked as he drove his jeep, Scott sitting in the passenger seat and Alison riding in the back. They'd been driving around for the past hour looking for any sign of Isaac and so far nothing.

"Um, call off the search," Alison said, checking her cell phone.

"What? Why?" Scott asked, turning in his seat to look at her.

"He's at Lydia's," Alison replied. "I guess he's staying there for the night."

Stiles gripped the steering wheel hard, slamming on the brakes.

"What the hell?" Scott demanded.

"So we're just going to let Mr. angst crash at Lydia's?" Stiles asked, fuming.

"She's the one who decided to let him stay," Alison replied, shocked. Stiles cursed under his breath as he hit the gas, turning and heading for Scott's house.

"Is there something going on that I should know about?" Alison asked.

"No," Scott replied, watching Stiles. Erica was dead, Boyd was a mess, Derek was in full blown panic mode and Peter was being no help, Isaac had run off only to end up at the house of the girl Stiles' loved, and tomorrow was monday. Nope, nothing was wrong at all.

**[A/N : I just love the family dynamic of the pack! Hope everyone enjoyed the story!] **


	4. Chapter 4

"Ahhh!" Isaac yelled, struggling against the hands trying to push him back below the icy water.

"Isaac! It's okay, it's just a dream!" Lydia said, grabbing his shoulder. Slowly Isaac relaxed, looking around. He was hopelessly tangled in the blankets on Lydia's bed, her alarm clock reading 4 am.

"Sorry," he said, closing his eyes and willing his heart rate to slow back down to normal.

"The dream again?" Lydia asked. Isaac nodded. For the past five nights he'd been staying at Lydia's, and every night he had the same dream of finding Erica. Sometimes it started with him drowning, but most of the time it was like a movie that began at the same horrible moment.

"It's okay," Lydia whispered, and he realized he was shaking. He sat up, trying to hide how scared he truly was by fighting off the blankets. After a few moments of struggle Lydia took his hands in hers.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No," he replied. The dreams were bad enough, he couldn't face reliving that when he was awake.

"Okay," Lydia said, letting go of his hands to fix the blankets. They each had their own, since Lydia had a weird thing about personal space and Isaac was a blanket hog.

"You want to try school tomorrow?" Lydia asked as they laid back down.

"Not really," Isaac admitted. The thought of facing high school, with everyone's stares and questions, was more than he could take. The official story was Erica had ran away. Only the pack, and a select few knew the truth.

"Have you talked to Derek?" Lydia asked. Isaac rolled onto his side to look at her.

"I can't," he replied. "What would I say? Hi, sorry I went a little crazy, how's your week been?"

Lydia rolled onto her side so they were facing each other. "You could try telling him the truth," she suggested.

"Getting tired of me already?"

She smiled. "It might be nice to have my bed back, but like I've told you before, you can stay here as long as you need."

Isaac closed his eyes. "Thanks," he murmured. Lydia ran her fingers through his hair, something she knew would help calm him down. He could feel himself slipping into sleep, and was thankful she had no problem leaving her bedside lamp on all night. Sharing a bed with someone who also struggled with nightmares made the whole thing a little more bearable.

"See you in the morning," Lydia whispered.

* * *

"Let me get this straight...you're still having your little werewolf sleepover?" Stiles asked incredulously. Lydia nodded, continuing to read her history book like nothing was wrong.

Stiles leaned across the library table and pulled the book away, forcing her to look at him. "Don't you think this might be a bad idea?"

"No," Lydia replied. "He needs help, and I know what he's going through. I even tried giving him some of my sleeping pills but they wore off after a couple hours."

"Derek can help him, why does it have to be you?" Stiles asked.

"Because he feels quilty," Lydia said, checking to make sure they weren't being overheard. "He feels that Erica dying is his fault, like somehow he should've been able to save her. That's why he can't face the others, he thinks they blame him too."

"Last I heard, Boyd was too messed up to blame anyone," Stiles said. "That still doesn't mean you should open your house up to monsters. I mean, you found a dead guy at the pool last week, maybe you should cool it with everything supernatural for a while."

Lydia gave Stiles one of her famous glares. "Finding that guy has nothing to do with Isaac. He can't sleep, and when he does he has nightmares. I understand what he's going through better than anyone else, so you can either help me help him, or shut your face."

And with that she snatched back her book and stormed out of the library. Stiles sat there for a moment, then sighed and grabbed his back pack, running after her.

* * *

"I really don't think Derek is up for visitors," Stiles said as they boarded the elevator up to the loft.

"I really don't care how Derek is feeling," Lydia snapped. "He got Isaac into this mess, he's helping him out."

Stiles knew better than to argue with Lydia when she got that look in her eyes, so he silently followed her into Derek's apartment, praying the alpha was in a good mood.

"Um, thanks for knocking," Derek said.

"We need to talk about Isaac," Lydia said, getting straight to the point. "He's really struggling, and so far you've done nothing to help him. Now i know you both are really stubborn, but you're sort of like family so just put aside your problems for five seconds and talk to him."

Derek stared at Lydia, mouth slightly open. He looked at Stiles who shrugged apologetically.

"If he wanted to talk why hasn't he come to me?" Derek asked, finding his voice.

"Because he thinks you blame him for Erica's death," Lydia replied, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "Be the alpha and make the first move."

"Fine, you want me to talk, I'll talk," Derek said, not liking being bossed around so easily by Lydia of all people.

"Great," she said, smiling. "He's at my house."

As she headed for the door Derek grabbed Stiles by the shoulder. "Is she serious?" he asked.

Stiles nodded. "As serious as the plague."

* * *

Stiles had finally finished his math homework and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and pass out when there was a knock on his window. Grumblijg, he went over and opened it, letting Scott and Isaac in.

"What's going on?" Stiles asked.

"Lydia's mom found me this morning and may have freaked out a little," Isaac replied.

"You know how my mom is, no unnecessary involvement with the pack if possible," Scott said. "I was hoping you would let him crash here for a little while?"

"Why can't you go back to Derek's?" Stiles asked.

"Now that Cora and Boyd are living there along with Peter and Derek, it's a little crowded," Isaac replied.

"How did the big talk go?" Stiles asked.

"Okay, I guess. Derek isn't mad at me and understands I need some space," Isaac replied. "I still haven't talked to Boyd, but all he does most days is sleep."

"Sounds familiar," Stiles said, flopping on his bed. "If I let you stay here we have to ask my dad, I'm trying to keep my secrets between him to a minimum."

Isaac nodded."I figured trying to hide from the sheriff wouldn't be as much fun the second time."

Stiles just looked at Scott, who smiled weakly.

"I should get going, I'm supposed to meet Alison," Scott said, climbing out the window. Stiles waved, then looked at his new roommate. Boy, this would be fun explaining to his dad.

Over the next few days everyone settled into a rhythm. Isaac crashed at Stiles' house, sleeping in the spare room. He had to swear to the sheriff to abide by all house rules and attend school and lacrosse practice, which seemed to help keep his mind off other things. At least his nightmares were happening less frequently.

Lydia began tutoring Stiles in math, much to his enjoyment. She was still wary of any involvement with the pack, but any time she found her self in trouble he was the first person she called.

Alison helped Derek and Scott learn more about the alphas by tracking their activity. So far none of them knew what the master plan was, but at least it was mending some bridges between the three of them.

The pack had survived. Sure, they had lost Erica. Boyd was practically catatonic on his good days, and Cora barely spoke, but they were free. And for once, everyone was ready to stand united against whatever might come .


	5. Chapter 5

**[A/N : Each week after the new episode I'll update with an Isaac centered chapter]**

"Was that an apology?" Isaac asked, looking at Alison.

"Would you accept one?" she asked. He was just about to say maybe when the door slammed shut.

"No, no, no, no," Isaac begged, trying the handle.

"Maybe it's locked from the outside," Alison suggested.

"There's something blocking it," Isaac replied, pushing against the door. Flashbacks started playing in his head of being locked in the freezer for hours, screaming till his voice gave out while his dad watched tv upstairs.

"Isaac," Alison said, and he tried to calm down, knew he was probably scaring her, but his heart was racing, pulse pounding in his ears. He had to get out, had to get out, had to get out!

It was pointless punching the door, it wouldn't budge, but in his frenzy all he cared about was being free. Even when Alison grabbed his arm and tried to stop him it didn't slow him down. He turned on her, shoving her away from him with a snarl.

Suddenly Scott was there, wrenching open the door and throwing Isaac into the hall. "Isaac!" Scott growled, and something in his voice made Isaac stop. It was a command.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," isaac whimpered, dragging himself against the overturned pop machine. He couldn't get his heart to slow down, couldn't get enough air into his lungs.

"It's okay, it wasn't his fault," Alison said, showing Scott her wrist where Isaac's claws had cut her.

"Isaac, you gotta calm down," Scott said, crouching in front of him.

"Can't...breathe," Isaac gasped.

"I think he's having a panic attack," Alison said, taking a step forward.

"What do we do?" Scott asked, looking up at her.

"We should get him out of here," Alison said. Scott grabbed Isaac's arm, hauling him to his feet.

"My mom's working late," Scott said as they headed to Alison's car. Isaac laid down in the backseat, trying to focus on the air flowing in and out of his lungs. Everything else was a haze, and before he knew it they were at Scott's house.

"Just try to relax," Alison said as she placed a wet cloth on Isaac's forehead. He was lying on the couch, and even though his breathing was slowing he was still pretty out of it. He clenched his hands into fists to hide how badly they were shaking.

"I guess you were right," Scott said, flopping in a nearby chair.

"Told you so," Isaac mumbled.

"They don't care who they hurt, as long as it affects us," Scott said. Isaac closed his eyes, trying to relax, to make the horrible memories go away. He faintly heard footsteps and a door opening and closing, but he was too exhausted to care. He fell asleep, hoping his dreams would be better.

* * *

"I didn't expect to see you," Derek said as Isaac walked into the loft, carrying his duffel bag.

"I thought maybe I could move back in," Isaac said, twisting the straps of his bag in his hands.

"With Cora and Boyd here it's pretty crowded," Derek said, hating every word that came out of his mouth. He knew if he didn't get Isaac out now, the Alphas would force Derek to hurt him.

"But where am I supposed to go?" Isaac asked.

"I don't know, just not here," Derek replied. He turned and looked at Isaac, waiting for the teen to leave.

"Please, just let me stay here a few nights," Isaac begged. Derek snarled.

"Get out!" He yelled, throwing his glass at the pillar behind Isaac, who ducked to avoid getting hit. Derek wanted to apologize, but he said nothing as he watched Isaac leave. It was for the best.

* * *

Scott had just started started on his homework when his cell phone rang. Seeing it was Stiles he answered.

"Hey, have you seen Isaac?" Stiles asked.

"Not since he left here a few hours ago," Scott replied. "Isn't he staying with you?"

"He said he was gonna try to move back into Derek's, but Boyd just called me asking if I knew where Isaac was staying. I guess Derek kicked him out or something," Stiles said.

Scott sighed. "Have you tried his cellphone?"

"Yah, he isn't answering," stiles replied. "You don't think anything happened to him do you?"

"I'll find him, call me if you hear anything," Scott said before hanging up. He turned, thinking of where to start looking when there was a knock on his door.

"Yah mom?" Scott said, expecting to see his mom. Instead, Isaac stood in the doorway, soaking wet and looking lost.

"Can I ask you a favor?" He asked.

**[Not the longest chapter in the world, but still good! I loved last nights ep]**


	6. Chapter 6

"Your mom is seriously the best cook," Isaac said through a mouthful of pancakes as he wolfed down his breakfast.

"Don't let her hear you talking like that, she'll never let you leave," Scott said, smiling.

Isaac paused. "Thanks for letting me stay here," he said, looking at Scott.

"Just be glad my mom is handling this whole werewolf thing so well," Scott said. "Have you talked to Derek?"

Isaac looked down at his plate. "Not since that night," he replied.

"You really should talk to him. Now that they know where the alphas are staying, they're planning an attack. They need us," Scott said.

"He doesn't need me, he made that really clear," Isaac replied, standing up and taking his plate to the sink. "If you're still planning on trying to talk to Deucalion, I'll go with you."

"I don't know, I think it might be better if I just go alone," Scott replied.

"Well, I'm still coming with you," Isaac said, crossing his arms over his chest and daring Scott to argue.

* * *

"You didn't mention the creepy lair," Isaac said as they stashed Scott's bike and their helmets behind a pillar. The penthouse was under renovation, half finished walls and the heavy smell of plaster. Scott saw Deucalion standing on the stairs and walked forward, Isaac following.

"Well well, if it isn't two little pups here to talk some sense into us," Kali teased, stalking out of the shadows nearby.

"That's no way to treat our guests," Deucalion said. He looked in the direction of Scott and Isaac. "What can we do for you?"

"We just want to talk, see if there isn't some agreement we can make," Scott replied. Kali laughed, harsh and loud.

"Talk? We don't negotiate," she said.

"What agreement did you have in mind?" Deucalion asked.

"How about you die?" Derek asked as he, Cora and Boyd walked out of the shadows.

"Derek!" Scott said, shocked.

"Sorry Scott," Derek said unapologetically as he morphed. "No deal."

Then everything was a blur of claws and snarls, of people being thrown around and slammed down, an explosion of pain as one of the alphas sliced Scott's chest.

"Scott," Isaac wheezed, dragging himself over to where Scott was slumped against a pillar.

"We should leave," Isaac said. "Boyd and Cora already ran."

"We have to help Derek," Scott replied stubbornly, climbing to his feet. The only two still fighting were Derek and the big alpha, both evenly matched.

Scott saw his chance and he took it, not even realizing as he sliced the alpha's leg that they had travelled too close to the edge. Suddenly they were falling, Derek looking up at Scott with a strange mixture of shock and surprise written on his face. And Scott could do nothing but watch as the two fell, landing with sickening thuds two floors down.

"Scott!" Isaac yelled, hurrying to his side. He helped Scott to his feet and together they scrambled towards his bike, racing out of there. It would be suicidal to try and talk to Deucalion now that Derek had pretty much declared war, then gotten himself...

"He can't be dead," Isaac said for the hundredth time as they pulled into the garage. "I mean, he's an alpha, he'll just heal."

"I don't think it works that way," Scott replied. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go lie down and not move for a very long time, but he knew someone needed to tell Boyd and Cora what had happened. And he needed a shower.

Isaac turned and walked away, going to the guest bedroom and slamming the door shut. Scott winced, glad his mom had a late shift. The last thing he wanted was her worrying.

Picking up his phone, Scott saw he had missed calls from both Stiles and Alison. Sighing, he prepared to explain to them what had happened. If he could even find the words.

* * *

"I swear I am never letting you out of my sight again," Alison said, wrapping her arms gently around Scott's waist. She had rushed over to his house that night, quickly stitching up his wounds and then spending the next fifteen minutes trying to get Isaac to unlock the door so she could treat him as well. He refused, hardly saying a word except go away.

"I think I can handle one bus trip," Scott replied, smiling. "Besides, you and Lydia will be following right behind us the whole way."

"I still don't like it," Alison said, looking over at Ethan who was chatting with Danny.

"None of us do," Scott said, seeing Boyd glare in Ethan's direction.

"Where's Isaac?" Alison asked.

"Around here somewhere," Scott replied. "He's been real quiet since it happened."

Alison kissed Scott lightly on the lips. "Just keep thinking about me. I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I hope so," Scott said, unconvinced.

"Alright load up!" Coach yelled, blowing his whistle for further effect. Alison and Scott parted, Alison climbing in her car with Lydia while Scott boarded the bus with Stiles and headed to the back.

"So they both decided to be on wolf watch?" Stiles asked as they sat down, turning to look out the back window at Lydia.

"Yah, I guess," Scott replied, watching as Isaac climbed on the bus and walked past Ethan, his body tense. He slumped in the seat in front of Scott and Stiles, never taking his eyes off the alpha.

"How are you feeling?" Scott asked, leaning forward to look down at Isaac.

"Fine," Isaac replied, though Scott knew he was lying. He saw the faint red smear on the side of Isaac's shirt, the way he was holding his arm wrapped around his ribs, or the light sheen of sweat on his forehead. But if Isaac didn't want help Scott couldn't force him.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate long bus rides?" Stiles grumbled. They'd only been on the bus for an hour but it felt much longer than that.

Scott leaned his head back, trying to get comfortable. "Relax, no one's going to try anything in front of all these people."

"Tell that to Boyd," Stiles said. Scott opened his eyes, watching Boyd who was sitting a few seats in front of them, his hands curling into fists as he glared at Ethan.

"I'll talk to him," Isaac said, sitting up and walking down the aisle. He pushed Boyd over, slumping in the seat next to him.

"Is it me or does Isaac look like he isn't healing?" Stiles asked, watching as Isaac and Boyd talked. Slowly Boyd relaxed, his hands uncurling from the back of the seat in front of him.

"Yah, but you know Isaac. He's not the sharing type," Scott replied.

There were sudden shouts from the front of the bus, and coach's loud swearing. Thankfully they were close to a rest stop, and once they had parked everyone hurried off the bus, trying to avoid the pile of vomit in the aisle.

"What happened?" Alison asked as she and Lydia hurried over.

"Someone puked all over the bus," Stiles replied, gagging.

"I think we have bigger problems," Scott said, walking towards Isaac and Boyd who were talking to Ethan. Before Scott had a chance to intervene Isaac pounced, using the surprise attack to shove Ethan to the ground and begin punching him, Boyd standing by looking pleased.

"Isaac!" Scott yelled. His voice rang with authority, and in the silence that followed he watched as Isaac let go of Ethan, who slumped to the ground, and turned to look at him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Coach demanded, rushing over.

"Just a misunderstanding," Scott replied, grabbing Isaac's arm and dragging him away, the others following.

Isaac yanked his arm free, stalking away from Scott.

"Just calm down," Scott said, watching as Isaac began pacing.

"What was that?" Boyd demanded.

"He stopped Isaac from making a huge mistake," Alison replied.

"No, that was an order. Only an alpha can do that," Boyd said, still looking at Scott.

"Look, it's not important," Scott replied. "You two need to calm down and stay away from Ethan."

"He just wants to start a fight," Lydia said, glancing over her shoulder at Ethan who was being tended to by Danny.

"Why shouldn't we fight him?" Isaac asked. He stopped pacing and looked at all of them. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go kick his ass."

"Because you're not healing," Scott replied. Isaac crossed his arms over his chest, trying to hide his injuries.

"Yah, so what?" He asked.

"Don't you think that might be a problem?" Stiles asked.

"It's just a scratch, Boyd and Scott were hurt worse than me,"Isaac replied.

"I'm already healed," Boyd said.

"So am I," Scott said. "Just show us."

Isaac thought about arguing or whining, but Lydia, Alison, Stiles, Scott and Boyd were all standing there staring at him and he knew it would be a waste of time trying to convince them he wasn't hurt. Reluctantly he lifted his shirt, showing the four deep gashes that raked across his ribs on the left side.

"Geez," Stiles said, looking away quickly.

"Why isn't it healing?" Lydia asked, walking forward to examine the wound. Isaac watched her warily.

"I don't know," Scott replied.

"Enough show and tell, I feel fine," Isaac snapped, pulling his shirt back down. He didn't want to admit he was dizzy, or that his body ached. He just wanted everyone to leave him alone. He was sure he'd heal sooner or later...he hoped.

"You don't look like it," Boyd said, noticing the way Isaac was swaying.

"So I'm a little dizzy, it's not the end of the world" Isaac said, reaching out and using Lydia for support. Everything was really starting to get blurry around him. Suddenly the world slid sideways.

* * *

"Isaac! Isaac, open your eyes," Alison said. Isaac tried, but they felt like they were weighed down with bricks. He felt like he was floating.

"Isaac, you have to stay awake," Lydia said, grabbing his arm. He tried to focus on her, use her as an anchor. Slowly he opened his eyes.

"Hey, you alright?" Scott asked. He was kneeling beside Isaac, Lydia and Alison on his other side. Boyd and Stiles were standing nearby, looking worried.

"Feel funny," Isaac replied.

"I think you have blood loss," Lydia explained. "We need to get you up."

"We can take him in the car," Alison suggested, looking at Scott. "I doubt coach would even notice he's gone."

"Okay," Scott agreed. He grabbed Isaac's arm and Boyd stepped forward to grab the other one. Together they began helping him walk back to the parking lot.

"I really hate all this werewolf drama," Lydia said as they walked towards the car.

"Why? You're so good at handling it," Stiles replied.


	7. Chapter 7

**[Here's a lovely present...another chapter! Enjoy!]**

"How's he doing?"

"Fell asleep once we hit the road."

"Should we move him?"

"He'd probably sleep better on an actual bed."

Isaac was somewhere between awake and asleep, able to faintly hear the voices around him but too tired to care what they were talking about.

"Isaac? Isaac, it's time to wake up," Scott said, gently shaking Isaac's shoulder. Slowly Isaac woke up, opening his eyes. He was surprised to find himself curled up in the back seat of Alison's car, Scott, Alison, Lydia, Stiles and Boyd all watching him.

"How do you feel?" Scott asked as Isaac sat up, wincing when the movement tore at his wound.

"Been better," Isaac replied, blinking owlishly. He was exhausted and just wanted to go back to sleep. He looked around, surprised to see they were in the parking lot of a seedy motel.

"The meet got rescheduled for tomorrow so we're staying the night here," Scott explained. Isaac nodded, scooting across the seat and standing up. He swayed, Scott and Boyd grabbing his arms and helping him towards the motel.

"Wow this place is first class," Stiles said as he unlocked the door and held it open for the others. Scott and Boyd helped Isaac lie down on the bed farthest from the door.

"I think you might have a fever," Alison said, feeling Isaac's forehead. He closed his eyes, relaxing. He was just too sore and tired to care anymore.

"I'll get some ice," Boyd said, grabbing the bucket and heading downstairs.

"Maybe we should try stitching up his wound," Lydia suggested.

"Why?" Stiles asked.

"Because he's not healing, and maybe this is a physical response to an emotional problem," Lydia replied.

"I'm not crazy," Isaac said, his eyes still closed.

"We know that, but she has a point. It's been two days," Scott said.

Isaac opened his eyes, looking up at them. "Alright, who wants to play doctor?"

* * *

"I'm just glad he passed out," Alison said as she washed her hands in the bathroom sink. Lydia was finishing wrapping Isaac's side, her hands moving deftly as she taped down the bandage then pulled his shirt back down and covered him with a blanket.

"He should be better now, he'll just need some rest," she said, standing up.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Boyd said.

"If anything happens, Stiles and I are right next door," Scott said. Boyd nodded.

"I need a shower," Lydia whined as she, Alison, Scott and Stiles left the room.

* * *

Isaac wasn't sure how long he had been asleep. It felt like a few hours at least, and when he opened his eyes the room was dark. He glanced over at Boyd's bed, surprised to see it empty.

"How can you be so stupid?"

Isaac froze. He knew that voice. He would recognize it anywhere.

"Your friend left you. He couldn't stand being around someone so weak," his dad taunted.

"Shut up," Isaac growled. He looked around the room, but it was empty.

"It's your fault Derek is dead, that's why you aren't healing," his dad whispered. Isaac closed his eyes and covered his ears, willing the voice away. It wasn't real, it couldn't be. His dad had been dead for almost six months.

"You're pathetic," his dad said. Isaac heard the sound of a chain rattling, the creak as something heavy was opened. He slowly opened his eyes, and what he saw almost made his heart stop.

The freezer from his basement was in the middle of the room, the chain his dad used to lock it sitting on the floor nearby.

Isaac didn't know where the strength came from, but he forced his tired muscles to move until he had crawled under the bed. When his dad was in a really bad mood, Isaac used to hide under the bed. Apparently old habits died hard.

He curled up in a ball, wrapping an arm around his aching side. Scott and the others would save him. They'd figure out what was going on.

"It's not real, it's not real," he chanted, closing his eyes.

* * *

"I can't find him anywhere," Boyd said. Scott, Stiles, Alison and Lydia were all standing outside Boyd's hotel room. They had been able to save all the werewolves, but couldn't find Isaac.

"Did you hear that?" Lydia asked.

"No," Alison replied, confused.

"Shh, there it is again," Lydia said, walking into the room. She could faintly hear something, it almost sounded like a moan.

"Did you check under the bed?" She asked, looking at Boyd.

Boyd shook his head no. Lydia quietly walked over to the bed, kneeling on the floor and lifting the blanket to peer under.

Isaac was curled in a ball, one arm covering his face the other wrapped tightly around his side. Lydia sat up, looking at the others. "Found him."

"Isaac?" Scott asked, kneeling on the other side of the bed. "Hey bud, you okay?"

Isaac didn't move, simply whimpered and tried to curl tighter into himself.

"It's alright, it's safe now. Why don't you come out?" Scott continued. He didn't like how absolutely terrified Isaac looked.

"Isaac?" Lydia asked, laying down on her stomach and reaching an arm out to touch him. He jerked away from her, letting out another whimper.

"I feel bad kicking him while he's down," Stiles said, handing Scott the last flare. Scott lit it, kneeling back down to hold it against Isaac's arm. He yelped in pain, jerking away.

"What the hell?" Isaac demanded as he crawled out from under the bed. Lydia helped him to his feet and he groaned, holding his side.

"I think you undid some of your stitches," Lydia said.

"Feels like it," Isaac said, slumping on the bed.

"We really need to get out of here," Alison said.

Isaac looked up. "What's going on?"

"Nothing exciting, we all just almost died. Typically," Stiles replied. Isaac stood up, ready to follow the others outside. Suddenly Lydia wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Don't get any ideas," she said. Isaac smiled.

"Looks like we're camping on the bus," Boyd said as he led everyone across the parking lot.

"I hate this whole trip," Lydia grumbled. She unlooped her arm so her and Isaac could climb onto the bus. Everyone picked a seat near the back, the seven of them stretching out and trying to get some sleep.

Isaac closed his eyes, focusing on the sounds of Boyd's steady breathing, Scott and Alison's whispers, the squeak as Stiles tried to get comfy. Slowly he relaxed. He would never forget his dad, but at least for the moment he was safe. At least for the moment he was surrounded by people who cared about him.

Lydia's foot stretched across the aisle and rested against Isaac's leg. He didn't flinch away, allowing himself a chance to enjoy the contact. She was keeping him grounded.


	8. Chapter 8

**[Reviews are always appreciated!] **

"I won't let her be the next sacrifice," Scott whispered. Isaac nodded.

"We'll take turns guarding her," Isaac said. Quietly they snuck into Melissa's room, Scott taking the chair and Isaac sitting next to him on the floor.

Over the next few hours they sat there, keeping watch while Melissa slept. Whenever one of them would become too tired, they'd take turns napping while the other struggled to stay awake.

"Boys!" Melissa said, jolting both of them awake.

"What are you doing?" She asked. Isaac and Scott stood up, stretching out the kinks in their necks.

"We were guarding you," Scott replied.

"You were both asleep," Melissa pointed out.

Isaac looked at Scott sheepishly before looking at Melissa. "I fell asleep, sorry."

"My heroes," Melissa said, smiling. "I appreciate the effort, but I'm not going to be someone's sacrifice today. You guys should go get ready for school."

As they walked down the hall to their separate rooms Isaac stopped, glancing at Melissa's closed door before saying, "I'm skipping today, Boyd and I are going over to Derek's to get it ready for tonight."

"What are you going to do?" Scott asked.

"Boyd has some plan, I just promised to help," Isaac replied.

"I'll be over as soon as I can," Scott promised. "Be careful."

* * *

"You two should be in school," Derek said as Isaac and Boyd walked into the loft. Ignoring him, they began setting up the electrical wires on the floor.

"Are you deaf?" Derek asked, walking over to see what they were doing.

"We called in sick," Boyd replied. "We aren't going to let you fight Kali on your own."

"I thought you hated me," Derek said, looking at Isaac.

"Hated, maybe...wanted you dead? No," Isaac replied.

"So what is all this stuff?" Derek asked, looking around at the jumbles of wire.

"I learned that werewolves can't transform if they're being shocked with enough electricity," Boyd answered. "So we flood the floor then turn off the external override and keep the volts coming."

"Nasty shock for anyone who gets wet, especially if they don't wear shoes," Isaac added.

"You two thought this up on your own?" Derek asked, a little surprised at their ingenuity.

"Gerard showed Erica and I," Boyd replied, suddenly very interested in rearranging a clump of wires.

Suddenly the lights flickered then went out.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Derek asked. They hadn't even had a chance to start pouring water on the floor.

"Someone cut the power," Boyd said, looking at Isaac. The two of them stepped in front of Derek, guarding him from whoever planned on walking through the door.

Isaac pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts for Scott.

"Hey, I'm a little busy right now," Scott said.

"The plan didn't work and they're here," Isaac said, trying to keep his voice calm though his heart was racing. The last time he'd fought an alpha he'd been left with a serious wound that didn't heal. He wasn't exactly ready to try again.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Scott said before hanging up. Isaac tried to push away the panic, to focus on the situation, but all he could think about was who might be coming through that door at any moment.

Derek placed a hand on Isaac's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Breathe. It'll be okay."

Isaac nodded, clenching his hands into fists. Whoever was coming for Derek would have to go through him.

The door slammed open and in walked Kali, followed by the twins who were holding Jennifer. Derek took a step forward, his eyes only on her, but Boyd and Isaac pushed him back.

"Still hiding behind your pets," Kali sneered, walking forward. She eyed the wires lying on the floor. "Too bad you're too weak to fight me on your own."

"One on one," Derek growled. Kali smirked.

"Derek, we can take her," Boyd argued.

"This is my fight," Derek replied, stepping past them to face Kali.

Isaac and Boyd reluctantly stepped back, giving Derek and Kali plenty of fighting room. They circled each other, each eyeing the other for a sign of weakness. Kali launched herself forward, striking Derek across the chest with her claws. He stumbled backward, and Isaac sprang into action. He raced across the room, tackling Ethan and pinning him to the floor. He was ready for Aiden to come to his brother's rescue when he heard the gasp and looked over his shoulder.

Boyd was on the floor not moving. Derek was kneeling next to him, his hands pressed against Boyd's chest. Kali and Aiden were standing nearby watching.

"You have till the full moon, Derek," Kali said, turning and walking past Isaac and Jennifer. Isaac let Ethan go, in too much shock to do much else. Ethan looked almost apologetic before following after the others.

"We have to stop the bleeding," Derek said, in full blown panic. Jennifer was crouching down next to him, pulling his hands away from Boyd.

"He's gone, Derek. He's gone," she whispered.

Isaac didn't remember getting up, didn't remember walking out into the hallway, didn't remember leaning against the wall or sliding down it until he was sitting on the floor, didn't remember the elevator doors opening and people running towards him. Nothing mattered because Boyd was dead.

"Isaac?" someone asked. He knew he should answer, some part of his brain recognizing the voice, but he couldn't muster the energy.

"Isaac, look at me," Lydia said, her face swimming in front of him. He blinked, wondering why his vision was blurry when he realized he was crying.

"Are you hurt?" Alison asked. She was crouching next to Lydia, the two of them watching him closely.

He barely managed to shake his head no. No, he wasn't hurt. He was just falling apart, his heart shuddering in painful fits as he thought of the body lying in the loft.

"Let's get you home," Lydia said, her and Alison helping him to his feet. They wrapped their arms around him, guiding him to the elevator. Suddenly Stiles was there, face pale and eyes serious.

"Scott?" Alison asked.

"He's going to stay and help Derek," Stiles replied. The elevator door slid closed and the four of them silently watched the numbers tick backwards to one.

"Gotta get rid of the body," Isaac said. He knew the process well. It was the same one they'd used after Erica died. Buried her out in the woods, cleaned the loft so if anyone ever connected her back to Derek there'd be no physical proof she was ever there. She was just another missing runaway.

"It's okay," Lydia said softly. The elevator door opened and they walked outside to the parking lot. Isaac wasn't sure where the energy came from that propelled him forward. It felt like his chest was caving in, but there were people around them. Even once they were in Alison's car, he didn't lower the wall he had erected between himself and the world.

The ride to the McCall's house was quiet and heavy, the air itself weighed down with sorrow.

"Are you guys okay?" Melissa asked, hurrying out to them when they pulled into the driveway. "Where's Scott?"

"Boyd was killed," Stiles replied. Isaac willed himself forward, walking past them and into the house. He went straight for his room, closing the door and blocking out the rest of the world.

He barely made it to his bed before the sobs started, ripping through his chest. Everyone he cared about was dying, one by one. He curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around his chest to hold himself together.

He wasn't sure if he cried out or if Melissa's motherly instinct simply drew her to him, but the next thing he was aware of was her low voice talking to him softly. She was sitting on the bed next to him, running her fingers through his hair.

The sound of the door opening didn't interest Isaac. He didn't care if he lived or died, he just wanted to lie there forever. "Deaton's here," Stiles said, and that almost sparked some curiosity in Isaac but not hardly enough.

"Hi Isaac," Deaton said, his voice sounding tired and worn. Isaac blinked open his eyes. He was lying on his side on his bed, Melissa and Deaton standing next to him.

"I'm going to give you a sedative to help you sleep," Deaton explained, slipping a syringe out of his bag and filling it with a clear liquid. He slid the needle into Isaac's arm, and the effect was almost instantaneous. Isaac's eyes grew heavy, and slowly they blinked shut. Melissa covered him with a blanket then led the way from the room.

"He's in shock," she explained to Alison, Lydia and Stiles who were sitting at the kitchen table waiting for them.

"He just needs some rest," Deaton added.

"Any word from Scott?" Melissa asked.

"They're done uh...burying Boyd. He should be here soon," Alison replied.

Melissa sighed and sat down, closing her eyes. "There goes my weekend of relaxation."


End file.
